Philippine Tourism News

Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park is home to some of the most beautiful coral reefs in the world. The reef rises from the volcanic depths of the Sulu Sea and hosts an astonishing diversity of marine life. The park is an underwater sanctuary where nature at its best can thrive. Tubbataha Reef is the Philippines’ only marine natural park and is on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Site for being a place of global importance, being preserved for generations to come.

After more than twenty years of conservation efforts, Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park is home to no less than 483 species of fish, 396 species of corals (about half of all coral species in the world), 44 species of birds, 9 species of dolphins & whales and nesting Hawksbill & Green sea turtles. The park contains more or less 10,000 hectares of coral reef, lying at the heart of the coral triangle.

Tourism plays an important role in Tubbataha because it provides the income needed to run the park as well as increase the awareness and support of the reef’s conservation. The dive season in the reef runs from March until June because this time of the year gives outstanding diving conditions like clear skies, flat seas and excellent visibility of up to 30 to 45 meters. Each visitor to the reef pays a conservation fee which is used to manage, maintain and improve the park like law enforcement and education campaigns and training park rangers. There are different accredited dive companies that service the park.

During the dives, visitors must observe rules so that everyone, including the marine life will stay safe. Don’t get too close. To prevent accidental contact you should stay a safe distance from marine life;  brushing against coral could give you a painful scratch or a scrape and may kill the fragile coral polyps. Don’t touch any marine animal and avoid wearing gloves because gloved divers tend to touch marine life recklessly. Don’t chase, grab or block the path of any free-swimming marine animal, imagine how you’d feel if a shark were to do this to you. Don’t collect anything from within the park because even dead corals and shells are home to other marine organisms. Always enter and exit the water in a deep or sandy area, where there is no coral growth. Always check that you are properly weighted and practice your buoyancy control in an area where you cannot damage anything. Take care not to disturb the sand. Sediment and sand that land on living coral can smother and kill it. Do not leave any trash and please pick up any litter that you find in or out of the water. Please do not sacrifice any marine creatures while you are looking for that ‘perfect shot’.

To reach the Park, tourists generally take an hour’s flight from Manila to Puerto Princesa City. Dive operators transport the guests from the airport to the wharf, some 5 minutes’ drive away, to the dive boat. Most of the vessels leave after dinner and arrive in Tubbataha at around 6 a.m. Some slower vessels, however, leave the wharf earlier in order to arrive in the Park at first light.

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